I Promise You
by BellaBeau91
Summary: What happens when Frank is blamed for something he didn't do, and nobody believes him? Will Frank and Joe be able to solve this case…. Together? Will Nancy ever forgive Frank?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi. I'm Bella. This is my first Fanfic. A friend read this story and told me I should create an account on here and post it. Thank you for reading.**

* * *

Frank and Nancy are 20

Joe is 19

* * *

The girl laid in the hospital bed. Pain coursing through her body. A doctor and three nurses watched as she labors to breath, knowing there's really nothing they can do but wait. An hour later the pain stops, the girl smiles an evil grin.

"Serves you right, Mr. Hardy." She whispers

Bahahaha

Frank, Nancy, and Joe are relaxing out on the lawn, watching the clouds float by.

"It seems like forever since we were able to just sit back and relax." Joe sighed. Frank and Nancy shared a laugh.

"When do you like to relax?" Nancy teased.

"When we just finish a hard case and there's a pretty, fiery blonde on my right side." Nancy gasped and swatted Joe.

"Frank!" Nancy looked at her boyfriend.

"Hm?" Frank opened one eye and looked at her.

"Are you really going to let him insult me like that?"

"I thought you were defending yourself quite fine."

"Frank." Nancy swatted Frank on the arm. "I thought you were my boyfriend."

"I am." Frank said as he rolled over so he was balanced over top of her. He kissed her passionately and whispered. "Don't you ever forget it." Nancy chuckled. Frank leaned in to steal another kiss when their father called.

"Frank! Joe!" Fenton called from inside the house. Joe quickly got to his feet and watched as Nancy crawled away from Frank.

"What now?" Frank groaned. He stood up and stretched. He winked at Nancy. "It was just getting good."

"Come on, guys." Nancy said as she ran inside.

"I never knew you had that in you, Bro." Joe said as he threw an arm around Frank's shoulders.

"It comes and goes." Frank grinned. The three entered the living room. "What's wrong, dad?"

"I'm really not sure." Fenton looked from Frank to Joe. "The hospital just called."

"And?" Joe pressed.

"They want a Mr. Hardy to come down to Bayport Regional Hospital."

"You want one of us to go with you?" Frank asked.

"No. They want you or Joe."

"Why?" Joe asked.

"They wouldn't release details to me. When you get there, you're to ask for Doctor Wright."

"Ok." Frank walked over to the key rack and grabbed his keys. "I'm driving. Let's go." Joe grumbled as he and Nancy made their way out the door.

"I call…" Joe started.

"SHOTGUN!" Nancy called.

"Hey! I called it first." Joe complained.

"So." Nancy sent Joe a sweet smile. She then looked at Frank. "Who would you like to be your front seat companion?"

"That's easy. Nancy." Frank said as he climbed into his car. Joe stuck his tongue out at Nancy and crawled into the back seat. As they headed down the road they talked about what the hospital could possibly want with them.

"Maybe it's another case." Nancy said.

"Could be." Joe replied. Ten minutes later they pulled into the parking lot. And found a place to park. Together they made their way inside. Joe walked over to the reception desk.

"Can I help you?" She asked. Joe winked and sent her his special Joe smile.

"I sure hope so." Joe answered. The receptionist giggled. "Can you let Dr. Wright know that the Hardys are here to see him?"

"I can do that." She picked up the phone and quickly talked into it. She nodded her head and hung up. "If you want to sit in the waiting room, he'll be out as soon as he can."

"Thank You." Joe turned to leave then turned back. "I hope you have a wonderful day." The receptionist giggled again and turned away.

"You are such a flirt." Nancy giggled when he joined them.

"You're just now figuring that out?" Frank queried.

"It serves it's purpose well, my dear." Joe answered. They sat in a row of chairs and watched as people came and went. Half an hour later a doctor wearing a bright white jacket came walking into the room.

"Mr. Hardy?" The doctor looked at his clipboard that was in his hand. They stood when he spoke.

"Yes?" Joe and Frank said at the same time. The doctor looked confused for a minute then put on a wide smile.

"I have good news."

"What?" Joe asked.

"You have a baby boy."

"A what!?" Frank looked at Joe. Joe looked at Frank. They both looked at the doctor.

"I'm used to that reply." The doctor chuckled.

"Who has a baby boy?" Frank asked.

"If you are both Hardys then one of you."

"Joe." Fran growled as he turned to his brother. Joe's face turned white.

"It wasn't me. I swear!" Joe held up his hands, visibly shaken. Frank turned back to the doctor.

"May we see the young lady please?" Frank asked calmly.

"I figured you'd want to." The doctor headed out of the room. "This way." Frank, Joe, and Nancy followed the doctor. Nancy held Frank's hand. Frank gave it a gentle squeeze as they came to a door. "She's in there."

"Thank you." Frank said as he pushed open the door. They saw a thin pale girl laying on the bed. When they entered she turned her head towards them and smiled.

"Hi." She whispered.

"Who are you?" Joe demanded.

"I'm Gwinn."

"How do you know us?" Frank asked. Gwinn giggled.

"Oh, Franklin, you are too funny." She gasped. "You know me very well." Nancy gasped and dropped Frank's hand.

"I've never…."

"Look in the crib over there." She said as she motioned toward where the baby laid. "and say hello to your son." Joe and Nancy walked over and looked at the baby. Joe picked up the little boy and looked at Frank.

"He's not mine." Frank growled.

"Frank?" Nancy whimpered. Her eyes full of hurt and betrayal.

"I promise." Frank whispered.

"Frank. He looks just like you." Joe said.

"If you don't believe me, we can always do blood work." Gwinn cooed. Frank shot her an evil look. "Actually, I insist."

"Fine." Frank ground out through clenched teeth.

Bahahaha

An hour later they left the hospital. Nobody spoke as they drove to the Hardy house. When they entered the house, Laura and Fenton met them at the door.

"So?" Fenton asked as he looked over the three young people. A tear slipped down Nancy's cheek.

"I'll see you later." Nancy whispered as she went to her car and drove away. Frank watched as she drove away and then stormed upstairs and slammed his door. Fenton, Laura, Joe heard him fall onto his bed and groan.

"What is going on?" Fenton asked as he turned to Joe. Joe looked at the floor.

"We'll know by tomorrow." Joe looked at his mom and dad. "Don't ask any questions till then, please." Fenton nodded his head and watched as Joe quietly headed up the stairs.

"I wonder what happened?" Laura whispered.

"I don't know." Fenton replied.


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's the next chapter. I hope you like it. This is when things really fall apart. I want to thank the ones who have reviewed on my first chapter. A great big thanks to you all.**

* * *

The next day, Joe and Frank met Nancy at the hospital. None of them spoke as they walked into the hospital and sat in the waiting room. Five minutes later, Dr. Wright walked into the room.

"I had the lab run the tests through immediately."

"And?" Joe queried.

"Apparently the baby's father is…" He looked from Frank to Joe. Nancy held her breath. "Franklin Hardy."

"No." Nancy gasped as she fled from the room.

"Nancy!" Fran called as he went after her. He caught up with her as she reached her car.

"How could you!" She demanded as she turned to him.

"I promise. I didn't." Frank whispered.

"There's only one way for her to have your baby, Frank." Nancy glared at him through her tears. "You had to…" she shook her head.

"That would have been about nine months ago." Frank reasoned.

"Yes. And where were you nine moths ago?"

"WE were on a case. "Frank answered.

"Yes." Nancy unlocked her car door. "That was also the time you disappeared for three days."

"You know I had been captured."

"No. I know that's what you claimed." Nancy said as she got into her car. "Don't forget. We didn't find you. You found us and you were unharmed except for a couple scratches." Nancy closed her door and started her engine. She rolled down her window. "Look. I think we need a break from each other."

"Nancy. Please, don't." Frank pleaded. Nancy shook her head and held out her hand. In it was the silver necklace Frank had given her on the anniversary of their first real date.

"Take it." She demanded.

"No." Frank pleaded again, tears brimming his eyes.

"Fine." Nancy tipped her hand and both watched as the necklace fell on the ground. She looked at Frank. "Have a nice life, Frank." She then drove away leaving Frank to watch her leave. He leaned down and picked up the necklace.

"I'll get to the bottom of this." He whispered. He pocketed the necklace and went back inside. Joe was sitting in a chair with his head in his hands. Frank walked over an sat beside him.

"How could you?" Joe asked, not looking up.

"Joe. Surely you believe me?"

"I don't know what to believe." Joe said. He looked at Frank, anger burning in his eyes. "Blood work doesn't lie."

"Joe?" Frank put his hand on his brother's shoulder but Joe shrugged it off.

"Let's go home." Joe said as he stood and headed for the door. They rode in silence till they got to the house. They stayed in the car, neither one wanting to go inside. They were still sitting in the car thirty minutes later when Joe broke the silence. "How could you do this to Nancy? To our family? To me?"

"I didn't do anything." Frank said sadly.

"I thought you loved Nancy and only her."

"I do."

"Then why would you hurt her and us like this?" Joe pressed.

"I didn't…I would never… I" Frank turned to face Joe. Frank looked toward the house and saw Fenton and Laura standing on the porch.

"You have to tell them." Joe said.

"What do I tell them?"

"The truth, maybe?"

"But…"

"It's time to pay the piper, Frank." Joe said as he got out of the car and slammed the door closed. Frank followed slowly after Joe. Fenton nodded the boys into the house and led them to the living room. Fenton sat on the loveseat and motioned for the boys to have a seat on the couch across from him. Laura sat beside her husband and waited.

"What is going on?" Fenton asked. He looked at Frank and then Joe. "Nancy came, got her stuff, said something about a baby and left."

"Why don't you ask Frank." Joe sharply as he leaned back on the couch. Fenton leveled a look at Frank. Frank took a deep breath.

"There's some girl named Gwinn at the hospital." He began. "And she claimed that the baby she just gave birth to was mine. That is why Nancy left."

"But it's not yours?" Fenton asked.

"No." Frank replied.

"Even though the blood work says differently." Joe mumbled. Laura and Fenton both looked at Joe then back at Frank.

"You had blood work done?" Fenton's voice colored with anger and confusion.

"The girl insisted." Frank said. "So I thought it would be a good idea and it would help get this mess cleaned up."

"And the blood work claims you're the father?"

"Yes." Frank said as he looked at his father. Fenton looked at Joe.

"Joe, can you help your mother in the kitchen. I need to talk to Frank alone."

"Yes sir." Joe got up and led his mother from the room. Fenton looked back at Frank.

"I expect this kind of irresponsibility from Joe. Not you." He said pointedly.

"But I didn't do anything wrong."

"You got a girl pregnant."

"I have never touched a girl like that. Ever." Frank argued.

"Frank. You need to tell me the truth and you have to do right by this girl." Fenton said as he watched Frank's face fall. "I can't help you if you won't let me."

"Dad." Frank groaned as he stood, walked to the window and looked out. Fenton walked up behind him. Frank turned and looked Fenton in the eyes. He said calmly "Father. I would promise you on a stack of Bibles, before a court of law if I had to: I have never had sex with a girl." He continued to look in his father's eyes. Fenton looked at Frank and saw the hurt and determination burning in his eyes. They stood in silence. Fenton gave Frank a small smile.

"So what do you intend to do to prove you're innocent?"

"I'm going to figure out who the real father is." Frank sighed. "I hope Joe will help."

"And what about Nancy?"

"She won't help." Frank looked at his dad. "I'll have to try to make this up to her. Somehow. After this case is wrapped up." Fenton nodded his head and pulled Frank into a hug.

"I know you can do it." Fenton said. Frank headed for the living room door.

"Tell mom I'm not really hungry." He said.

"Ok." Fenton replied as he headed toward the kitchen.

"Dad?" Frank called. Fenton looked at Frank who was standing at the base of the stairs.

"Yes, Son?"

"Thanks for believing me." Frank then headed up the stairs.

Bahahaha

Frank sat on his bed with his laptop, researching when he heard someone knock on his door.

"Whacha want?" He called. Joe pushed the door open. Frank saw the confusion written on the younger man's face as he sat on the foot of the bed.

"Tell me why you did it?" Joe whispered.

"Joe. Look at me." Joe met his brother's eyes. "I didn't do it."

"But the blood tests..."

"are wrong. That's what I have to figure out. Who is the real father and why do the blood test claim I'm the father."

"You're investigating?" Joe stared at Frank.

"I am." Frank looked back at his screen. "I would like for you to…"

"No." Joe interrupted. "I won't help a man that won't admit that he's wrong. Even if he is my brother"

"Joe." Frank laid a hand on Joe's shoulder.

"No." Joe jumped from the bed and stalked toward the door. He stopped and looked back at Frank, anger pouring out of every move. "I'm sorry you're my brother." With that he closed the door. Frank ran a hand through his hair.

"I have to solve this mystery." He looked at a picture of him, Joe, and Nancy that was hanging on the wall. "Only this time I'm alone."


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed on my story. Here's the next chapter.

* * *

Three nights later Joe looked at the clock for what seemed like the hundredth time that night. 4:34. He groaned and looked back at the ceiling. He had been battling with his conscience all night. He hadn't talk to Frank since the disagreement they had three nights ago. The only time the family saw Frank was when he came into the kitchen for supper, but even then, he took his plate up to his room.

"Frank did wrong." He said to himself.

 _But what about innocent until proven guilty_

"But he is guilty. The blood work proved it."

 _What if the blood work was rigged?_

"Why would someone do that?"

 _Someone wanting to get bac at him for something._

"But we're not even working on a case. Well, weren't."

 _What would you have done if you were in Frank's place? You would plead your innocence as well. You know Frank would have been angry at first, but you know he would defend you to the end and help you figure it out._

"I…I… _"_ Joe groaned again. He crawled out of bed and noiselessly went to Frank's room. He quietly opened the door. He saw Frank sitting at his desk with his head leaning on his hands. "Frank?" Frank jerked around and looked at Joe. He had large rings under his eyes as proof that he hadn't been able to sleep.

"What do you need?" Frank asked coldly. Joe walked over to Frank.

"You promise that baby isn't yours?" Joe asked.

"I promise." Frank watched as Joe shook his head.

"I'll help you. Because I know you would do the same for me." Joe looked at Frank. "But if it comes out that you really did… well… that, I am going to pound you to a pulp. Understood?"

"Perfectly." Frank said with a small smile. "Thanks." Joe pulled another chair over to the desk.

"What are you doing right now?"

"I'm going over cases that Gwinn could possibly be connected to." Frank scrolled through the page. "But there's nothing here."

"What was her last name?" Joe asked.

"No idea." Frank shot Joe a grin. "Want to go with me to the hospital?"

"Absolutely." Joe said. He looked at his watch then covered a yawn. "How about we try to get some rest. And then we can hit this investigation hard in a couple hours."

"You go ahead." Frank shooed Joe away. "I'm too wound up to try to sleep right now."

"Ok." Joe got up to leave. "What are you going to do about Nancy?" Joe saw Frank tense up.

"I'll deal with her when we figure out what's going on."

"Ok. Good night." Joe left the room and crawled into him bed.

Bahahaha

Ten o'clock found the Hardy boys at the hospital. Joe wooed the receptionist while Frank quietly looked through the computer system. He groaned as he read the hospital report. This was not looking good. He glanced up to see Joe winking at him. He quickly copied Gwinn's file onto his flash drive and closed the file. He nodded at Joe as he slipped away from the computer.

"Well, have a beautiful day, Darlene." Joe said.

"You too, Joe." The receptionist giggled. Joe joined Frank by Gwinn's door.

"Did you get what you needed?" Joe asked.

"I think so." Frank looked at the hospital door. "Now. Let's talk to the girl." He then knocked on the door.

"Come in." Gwinn called. Frank and Joe entered the room and saw Gwinn reclined in the bed. "Ah. My boyfriend has finally arrived."

"Look. I don't know who you are, who set you up for his, or who's behind this scheme." Frank said bluntly. "But I plan on figuring out and getting my _real_ girlfriend back." Gwinn stared at Frank in shock.

"You think someone set this up?" She asked. She then broke into laughter. "Oh, you are a tease. Detective" Joe looked at Gwinn with confusion.

"I don't tease." Frank said tensely. Gwinn's face instantly changed to anger.

"You always choose someone or something else over me." She shot from he bed and punched Frank in the gut. Frank doubled over in shock and pain. Joe rushed to his brother and helped him to his feet and out the door. "Think about that for a while." Gwinn shouted after them. Joe got Frank to the waiting room and sat in a chair.

"Are you alright?" Joe asked. Frank nodded his head. "Do you want a doctor to look you over?"

"No. home." Frank whispered. Joe help Frank out to the car and drove home. Joe helped Frank to the couch. Frank was panting heavily.

"Are you going to be ok?" Joe asked. Frank nodded his head and closed his eyes.

"Can you bring me my laptop?" Frank asked. Joe hurried up the stairs to retrieve the laptop. When he go back down he saw Frank had repositioned himself to an upright position. Joe handed the computer to Frank. Frank logged onto the laptop and plugged in his flash drive. After three hours Joe grunted.

"So…" He started. "Any ideas about Gwinn?"

"None." Frank rubbed his neck. "She isn't related to any of the past cases. I even ran a scan on Nancy's cases. Nothing."

"What if Gwinn isn't her real name?" Joe asked. Frank studied the screen for a moment.

"Why would she lie about her name?" He began.

"And how is she able to be in the hospital with the wrong name?" Joe added. "I'm going to go talk to he doctor and ask him some basic questions." He headed for the door.

"Be careful." Frank called.

"Aren't I always?" Joe shot back.

"No."

"I deserve that." Joe closed the door.


	4. Chapter 4

THank you everyone who has reviewed on my story. You guys don't know how much it means to me. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

It was past midnight when Fenton came home. He was walking past Frank's door when he noticed it was slightly ajar. He peaked in to see Frank's head laying on the desk and on the floor, amid a bunch of paper, was Joe. Fenton chuckled at the picture they made. He quietly walked into the room and draped a blanket from Frank's bed over his shoulder's and put an extra blanket over Frank. Fenton then quietly left the room.

The next morning Frank woke up with a horrible crick in his neck. He then realized that he had a blanket.

 _Who did this?_ He wondered. He got up and stretched when he saw Joe on the floor. Frank chuckled as he bent down and shook Joe's shoulders.

"Joe. It's time to wake up."

"No." Joe groaned. Frank continued to shake him. Joe opened one eye and looked at Frank. "What do you want?"

"You off my floor."

"But it's so comfy."

"Yeah right." Frank laughed as Joe sat up and winced.

"Ok. You're right." Joe rubbed his neck. "Not comfy." Joe smiled as he heard Frank laugh again.

"Let's figure out what to do now." Frank said as he sat in his chair.

"What if you called Nancy?" Joe asked.

"No." Frank turned to his computer. "Not till I have the proof I need to clear my name."

"But…"

"No." Frank quickly typed on his computer.

"Whatever." Joe muttered.

"I'm gonna go get a shower." Joe said as he got off the floor. "I'll be back in a bit."

"Ok. Let me know when you're out so I can get in."

"10-4 bro." Joe said as he left the room.

Bahahaha

Nancy heard her phone ring for what seemed like the hundredth time since she left Frank at the hospital. When it stopped ringing she looked at the caller id. Her phone jingled to let her know that they had left a message. She hit the play button.

 _Hi, Nancy. It's Frank. I guess you're really busy right now, so I'll try again and if I don't get ahold of you, I'll try again if I have to. Please know that I am investigating and I plan to get to the bottom of this scandal. I promise you that you are the only girl in my life. Well, talk to you later._

Nancy wiped at the tears that were coursing down her cheek. Frank had been leaving the same message for the past four days. She couldn't understand what was going on. She started to hit the redial then stopped.

"You can't do this to yourself." Nancy said to herself. She hit the erase button to erase his message. Again.

Bahahaha

Thirty minutes, Joe came back to the room to find Frank lying on his back on the floor.

"Are you ok?" He asked. Frank grunted "Is that a 'yes' grunt or a 'no' grunt?"

"That was a 'my little brother is annoying' grunt.." Frank said as he sat up.

"Funny." Joe shot back. He sat on Frank's bed. "What now?"

"We need Nancy." Frank said as he rubbed his neck. "I can't seem to…"

"Frank." Fenton called up the stairs. "Come here please." Frank quickly got too his feet and headed down the stairs, Joe following closes behind.

"Yes, sir?" Frank said as he walked into his dad's office.

"Have a seat." Fenton motioned toward a chair. Frank and Joe sat.

"Is something wrong?" Joe asked. Fenton shook his head as he leaned against the desk.

"The hospital just called."

"And?" Frank pressed.

"They want us to come get Gwinn."

"What!" Joe exclaimed. He looked at Frank. While his facial expression stayed calm Joe could see the anger in Frank's eyes.

"Why us?" Frank asked tensely.

"Because according to Gwinn she has nowhere else to go" Fenton and Joe looked at Frank. Frank stared at the floor.

"She can stay in the guest room, I guess." Frank said as he got up to leave the room.

"Are you sure?" Fenton pressed.

"The only thing I'm sure of right now is that I need to get my life back." Frank opened the office door. "If it means taking in Gwinn till we can get to the bottom of this, then, so be it." He then left the room. Fenton and Joe heard the back door open then slam shut.

"Maybe your mother will go with me to pick her up." Fenton commented. Joe looked at his father and smiled.

"Yeah. While you do that I'll see if I can calm down Frank."

"Good luck." Fenton said as he went to find his wife. "Laura?" he called up the stairs. Laura was slowly making her down the stairs, carrying a box. Joe quickly ran up the stairs and took the box from his mother.

"What's in here?" He asked as he sat the box in the living room.

"Well, I figures if we were having a baby around…" Laura shrugged at Fenton and Joe's shocked stares. "I listened in on the other phone." She then turned to Joe. "Go get the baby seat that is sitting in the hall upstairs." Joe took off while Fenton talked to Laura.

"So, will you come with me to get her then?"

"I would love to." Laura smiled as Joe came down stairs. "Go put that in the back seat of the car."

"Yes, ma'am." Joe put the seat in the car as his parents climbed into the front seat.

"We'll be back in a little bit." Fenton said.

"It may take us a little longer coming home as we may need to stop and get some baby supplies." Laura added while Fenton groaned.

"Ok. Have fun." Joe said. He waved as his parents left. "Now to find Frank." He walked to the back door and looked out. He saw Frank hanging, with his knees hooked over the main beam, upside-down from their old swing set. He went and sat by the swing set and watched his brother. Many minutes had passed before either of them said anything.

"Are you alright?" Joe asked. Frank grunted as he pulled his arm up and flipped off the swing set.

"I guess so." Frank said as he sat beside his brother. "I don't understand what's going on. This girl has taken literally everything from me."

"Not everything."

"Yes. Everything." Frank looked at Joe. "She took my girlfriend, my family, my friends, my life…"

"You still have me." Joe said as he laid a hand on Frank's arm. Frank looked his brother in the eyes.

"Do I really?" He asked point blank. "Or do you still think that this child is mine." Joe sat silently while Frank watched the emotion flicker through his eyes. Finally Joe answered, never breaking eye contact with his brother.

"I believe you." Joe said with conviction. "And I should have never… never sided with the Gwinn." Joe paused and took a deep breath. "I was a jerk and I am really sorry."

"It's all good." Frank said as he hugged his brother. They stood up and headed for the house

"One question." Joe asked.

"Shoot."

"When did you get so good at gymnastics and since when did you just hang when your angry?" Joe asked befuddled. Frank laughed.

"Well I've always been good at gymnastics, I just never was on a team." Frank looked back at the swing set. "As for the hanging…" He shrugged. "I do a lot of things you don't know about to work through problems."

"Like?" Joe pressed with a grin.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." Frank laughed.

"Ok." Joe playfully punched Frank in the arm. "I'll figure them out."

"Not a chance." Frank said as they ran up to his room. They started working on the case again. About ten minutes later Frank's phone rang. Joe grabbed it off his brother's bed and answered it.

"Hello… yes, he's here." Joe looked at Frank and handed the phone to him. Frank took the phone then Joe left the room.

"Hi, Nancy." Frank said as Joe closed the door.

"Frank…" Nancy took a deep breath. "I'm…I…"

"Look. I know you're hurt and I'm very sorry for that."

"I'm sorry for the way I acted." Nancy said.

"All's forgiven." Frank said. "I could really use your help on this case. I've been bouncing ideas off Joe, but they don't bounce back to often." Nancy laughed.

"That's Joe for you."

"Nancy, I promise you that if it ever comes out that this child is somehow mine." Frank paused and took a deep breath. "I will never… I will let you go with no hard feelings." He rushed on.

"Frank."

"I don't want you to have to live with the thought that I was unfaithful to you and for you to resent me in some way."

"Thank you, Frank." Nancy whispered. "So, should I come over and go over what notes you have."

"If you want, but mom and dad are bringing Gwinn here since she claims she has nowhere else to go."

"Ok. Thanks for the warning." Nancy replied. "I'll be there in an hour."

"Thanks, Nance." Frank said, relief coloring his voice.

"Welcome." She said then they hung up.

Bahahaha

Three hours later, Joe, Nancy, and Frank were sitting on the living room when they heard the car pull into the garage. The three looked at each other.

"Are you sure you don't want to go?" Frank asked Nancy.

"I'll be fine." She replied. Fenton, Laura and Gwinn came walking into the house.

"Hi, kids." Fenton said as he sat his load of bags on the floor and looked at the three in the living room.

"hi." The three said in unison.

"I'll show Gwinn the guest room and then I'll start supper."

"Umm…" Joe looked at Nancy and Frank. "I kinda ordered pizza."

"Why?" Laura asked.

"Because I didn't think that you would be home before suppertime."

"How many?" Laura leveled a look at Joe. Joe gave a little gulp when their doorbell rang. Their mother opened the door to see Tony, one of the boys' friends, standing with a pile of pizzas.

"Hi, Tony." Joe said as he took the stack of pizzas. He handed Tony the money. "Keep the extra for tip."

"Thanks, Joe." Tony said as he turned and left.

"You ordered ten pizzas!" Their mother exclaimed.

"It's suppose to last us all night." Joe reasoned. He then gave his mother his most pitiful face.

"Oh, alright." Laura said as she threw her hands in the air. "Gwinn, follow me" They headed upstairs. The three began going over files again. Hours later Nancy stretched to loosen the muscles in her back. She glanced at the clock.

"It's almost two!" She exclaimed as she rose from the floor. Joe yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"No wonder I'm so tired." Joe complained.

"You could sleep here." Frank said as he stretched.

"The guest room is taken." Joe pointed out.

"I know." Frank replied. He then looked at Nancy. "I'll sleep down here and you can sleep in my room."

"I can't do that." She gasped.

"Why not?"

"Well… I… um…" Nancy stuttered.

"Please." Frank pleaded. "This way when you wake up you don't have to drive back over here to help investigate."

"I'm too tired to fight with you." Nancy said with a small smile.

"Good." Frank said. "I'll see you guys when you wake up."

"Night." Joe mumbled as he headed up the stairs. Frank watched Nancy as he stopped in the doorway.

"Frank." She looked at him as he laid on the couch.

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry about the way I reacted, but I still don't know what to believe."

"That's understandable." Frank mumbled, half asleep. "I already said you were forgiven."

"Thanks." Nancy then went upstairs and crawled in bed.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed on my story. I sorry this chapter is short and kinda choppy, but you will get Gwinn's full story later.

* * *

Gwinn sighed as she looked in the bathroom mirror. She had been with the Hardys for a week. Even through everything she put this family though, they accepted her and treated her like a friend. Tears welled in her eyes.

"Stop." She told herself. "You had to do this. You didn't have a choice." She wiped at the tears falling down her cheek

Bahahaha

Laura smiled as Gwinn joined her in the kitchen.

"What do you want me to do?" Gwinn asked.

"You can make the biscuits."

"Ok." Gwinn pulled the ingredients out of the cupboard and began making the biscuits.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question?" Laura asked.

"I'll answer it if I can."

"What is your mother like?"

"I don't know." Gwinn said sadly. "She died when I was three years old."

"I'm sorry." Laura whispered. She saw the girl wipe a tear from her eye. "What about your father?"

"He travels a lot."

"What does he do?"

"Stuff."

"Do you have any siblings?"

"No. Dad never remarried."

"So your father raised you?"

"Sorta." Gwinn punched the dough. "Look. I don't want to talk about my family. Alright."

"That's fine." Laura said calmly. They continued to cook in silence.

Bahahaha

That night Nancy woke up to hear someone crying in the room across the hall. She quietly slipped down the hall to the spare room.

"Gwinn?" She whispered as she pushed open the door. Gwinn was sitting on the bed. She looked at Nancy with a shocked expression on her face.

"Nancy?" Gwinn wiped her face.

"Are you alright?" Nancy asked as she went and sat on the foot of Gwinn's bed.

"I don't know." Gwinn whispered.

"What's the matter?"

"I want to stop."

"Stop?"

"This…this…" Gwinn looked around and then began to sob. Nancy moved closer to the girl and wrapped her in a hug until the girl's sobs became quiet whimpers. Nancy went into the bathroom and brought back a box of tissues.

"Will you talk to me if I promise to try to help you?" Nancy asked as she passed the girl a tissue. Nancy saw fear and longing flicker through the other girl's eyes.

"I can't tell you anything." Gwinn whispered.

"Please, Gwinn." Nancy pleaded. Gwinn looked Nancy in the eye.

"I'll tell you if it isn't too much information. Deal?"

"Deal." Nancy smiled. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"Ok. Is your real name Gwinn?"

"It's actually Gwinndolynne."

"Where are our parents?"

"My mom was murdered when I was three months old."

"Really?" Nancy asked. She then sent the girl a sad smile. "My mom died when I was three, also."

"So you understand what it's like without a mum." Gwinn said in awe.

"Yes." Nancy smiled as she watched Gwinn relax.

"My dad travels a lot for business."

"That sounds nice."

"It is at times." Gwinn said with a sigh. "I miss my dad though."

"I can understand that." Nancy explained "My dad was an attorney and sometimes he had to travel for work, sometimes for weeks at a time.

"We really do have a lot in common, don't we?" Gwinn said with a smile.

"Yeah. That's when I'm thankful that Hannah, our housekeeper, live with us."

"That's where we're different." Gwinn replied. "When my dad left, I was alone."

"I'm sorry."

"It taught me how to depend on nobody but myself." Gwinn shrugged.

"That's hard."

"It is." The girls sat in silence for a couple minutes.

"Who is the baby's dad?" Nancy asked softly. Gwinn looked at Nancy.

"Frank." Gwinn said. "didn't he tell you the blood tests proved it."

"I was there." Nancy whispered.

"I'm sorry that this had to happen."

"What has happened?"

"This…"

"I don't understand." Nancy watched as Gwinn began pacing the room.

"I can't tell you what you want to know."

"Why?"

"Because if I do…" Gwinn looked at Nancy and shook her head.

"Gwinn." Nancy watched as tears began to stream down the girl's face. She could feel the tears on her cheeks as well.

"I feel bad for everything. The Hardys have been so kind to me. They treat me like I'm… family. Even after I…" Gwinn took a deep breath and stopped. "I need to get some sleep. Ty will be waking up in a little bit."

"Ok." Nancy headed for the door. She looked back at Gwinn to see the confusion, hurt, and longing shining in her eyes. "if you ever need anyone to talk to, I'm right down the hall."

"Thank you." Gwinn said as Nancy closed the door.


	6. Chapter 6

sorry its been a while but school is coming to an ends and papers and finals are due :) thank you to everyone who has reviewed on my story.

* * *

Nancy told Frank what she and Gwinn had talked about the night before. Nancy and Joe were sitting on the floor around an instable that was covered in papers while Frank sat at the computer.

"But she still won't say who the true father is." Frank pointed out.

"She's protecting someone." Nancy said. "If you could have seen her face. She wanted to tell it all, but something kept her from doing so."

"But who?" Joe asked. Nancy and Frank shrugged.

"What if it's her father?" Nancy asked.

"Why her father?" Joe queried.

"If my father was a wanted man and he did something to me and he was doing something illegal…"

"Then you would do everything in your power to make sure he didn't get caught." Frank finished

"Exactly."

"Any idea who her father is?" Joe asked.

"no." Nancy breathed. Nancy and Joe began going through papers while Frank search police records. They worked on silence for four hours.

"This is it!" She exclaimed causing Joe and Frank to jump.

"What is it?" Joe asked

"Gwinndolynne Paine."

"Paine?" Joe looked at the paper that Nancy was holding. "She has a record of pickpocketing, stealing, vandalism…man the list just keeps on." Joe looked at Frank. "You sure know how to pick the girl." Frank rolled his eyes.

"Who is her father?" Frank asked. Nancy scanned the paper.

"Um… Sawyer Paine."

"Ok." Frank began typing on the computer when Fenton came walking into the room.

"Who is Sawyer Paine?" Joe asked. Fenton's mouth dropped open.

"I haven't heard that name in… I don't know, eighteen years or so."

"Who is he?" Frank asked.

"He was an international drug lord." Fenton began. "But he didn't only sell and transport drugs. He kidnapped and sold people. Murder, rape, espionage, thieving. Shall I go on?"

"And, you helped bring him down?" Joe pressed.

"We tried." Fenton said as he looked at Joe. "But when we moved in to catch him, we ended up killing a woman instead."

"Really?" Nancy gasped as the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

"So he sicked his daughter on us for revenge." Frank said pointedly.

"What have I missed?" Fenton asked. Nancy, Joe, and Frank began to fill him in on what they had learned.

"Where is Gwinn right now?" Frank asked.

"Her and your mom went shopping for the baby."

"How long ago?"

"I'm guessing about two hours ago."

"Good." Frank said as he ran up the stairs. He entered into Gwinn's bedroom and began searching through her stuff. When nothing turned up he huffed and sat on the bed. That's when he saw a piece of paper sticking out from a hole in the mattress. He quickly pulled it out and read it.

 _You did good picking a Hardy._

 _Keep up the good work_

 _I'll see you in two weeks at the Park at three_

 _Dad._

Frank looked at the date stamped on the envelope. Two week exactly. He looked at the clock then rushed downstairs.

"Dad. Call mom and make sure Gwinn is still with her."

"What?" Fenton asked as Frank threw the letter at him and picked up the hall phone.

"Mom?...Is Gwinn there?... Where is she?... uh-huh… uh-huh… Thanks." Frank hung up. "Well, Gwinn has disappeared."

"What?" Joe asked. "Where did she go?"

"She claimed she had to go to the restroom."

"What about Ty?"

"She left him with mom."

"Is she coming back?"

"Mom's supposed to call us if she isn't back in ten minutes."

"Ok." Joe said as he rubbed his stomach. "In the mean time I'm hungry."

"When are you not?" Fenton asked with a laugh.

"I'm a growing boy."

"Keep telling yourself that." Frank shot at his brother. "But be warned, the only growing you will be doing is out." Everyone laughed as Joe threw a pillow at Frank. They were in the middle of eating pizza when the phone rang. Frank jumped and answered it.

"Ok. Thanks." Frank turned to his dad. "Mom said to let you know she's on the way home with Gwinn."

"good." Fenton leaned back on the couch.

"Tonight we are getting answers." Frank said with determination.

"Are you sure that's smart?" Joe asked.

"We have to." Frank said as he left the room.


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you everyone for the reviews. this chapter is kinda dull but I hope its ok.

* * *

When Laura and Gwinn walked in the door, Frank called them into the living room.

"We need to talk to Gwinn."

"Now?" Gwinn's face registered shock.

"Now." Frank gestured to a chair. "Please have a seat."

"What about Ty?"

"I'll take him." Laura said as she took the baby from Gwinn and headed upstairs with Fenton following close behind. Shakily, Gwinn made her way into the living room and sat down. Joe and Nancy sat on the couch and watched.

"Now. I want answers and I am going to get them. Understand." Frank said firmly.

"But…"

"No buts." Frank's voice taking on a hardness that they had never heard before. "If you won't answer the questions here, I know a nice jail cell that is lonely."

"I'll try." Gwinn whispered.

"Your father is Sawyer Paine, right?" Gwinn's face immediately fell.

"How?"

"Research."

"Oh."

"Now answer the question."

"Yes."

"Why are you protecting him?"

"He's the only family I have."

"Why pick my family to terrorize?" Frank knew the answer but he wanted Gwinn to answer it.

"Your father killed my mother." Gwinn said angrily. "If it wasn't for your father I'd still have a mother and wouldn't have had to fend for myself when I was younger."

"It was a raid gone wrong." Frank said calmly

"Excuses!" Gwinn exclaimed. "They didn't have to shoot her. Your family deserves everything that happens to it."

"Why do you claim that Ty is mine?"

"Why do you keep asking the same question when you're going to get the same answer." Gwinn said exasperatedly.

"Because we don't understand."

"My dad told me to choose a Hardy boy and then he would tell me his plan. I looked over each of your profiles. I really liked Joe, but I knew that whatever my father had planned was an everyday occurrence for him and nobody would think anything of it." Gwinn smiled. "But you, on the other hand, were Mr. I-can-do-no-wrong. So I knew that when my father's plan played out that you would be the most likely to get hurt and bring your family down."

"What was his plan?"

"To ruin the Hardy name. And I say it worked like a dream."

"What does that mean?" Joe asked.

"People all around town are talking about how Frank got a girl pregnant and won't admit it." Gwinn replied. Frank's face went white.

"But I…" Frank stammered

"You are the only one that doesn't believe it. The blood work proves it all."

"unless you had a doctor on your side." Frank shot back.

"I swear to you that there isn't a doctor on our side. That baby upstairs is your son."

"Then how?" Frank pressed. Gwinn rolled her eyes.

"Look. I don't know how to explain it and I'm sorry, now, that I have put your family through so much. I really wanted to do what my dad said. I even enjoyed it till I got to know your mom." Tears started making a course down Gwinn's cheek. "She showed me what I was missing all those years without my mom."

"What do we do now?" Frank asked quietly.

"I don't know." Gwinn said. "May I go upstairs now?" Frank nodded his head and watched her leave. He turned to look at Nancy and Joe. Nancy wiped a tear from her face.

"That was productive." Joe said.

"But what now?" Frank asked as he sat in the chair that Gwinn just left.

"I don't know." Joe looked at the ceiling. "This case is getting on my last nerve."

"Your last nerve. What about mine?" Frank groaned. Joe and Nancy stood to head upstairs. Frank headed toward the computer and logged on.

"Try to get some sleep, big Bro." Joe said.

"I will." Frank quickly began typing. "See you in the morning."

"ok." Joe headed upstairs and crawled in bed.


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed on this story. :) I'm sorry if the last chapter was a bit off, hopefully this chapter will clear up some things.

* * *

The next morning Joe came downstairs earlier than usual. He looked in the living room to see Frank still on the computer.

"Are you still up?" He asked. Frank jumped and spun around. He glanced at his watch and then to the clock on the wall then to Joe.

"What are you doing up at 5:30 in the morning? And on a Saturday?"

"I couldn't sleep anymore." Joe sat in a chair by Frank. "So, any luck."

"I think so." Frank said with a smile.

"Really."

"Yes." Frank pulled out a page that he had been making notes on. He handed it to Joe.

"Um…" Joe looked over the page. "I can't read your handwriting."

"Funny."

"It's a mixture of shorthand, English, scribble, and too early in the morning for brain work." Joe looked at the paper again. "It's worst than my handwriting."

"Ha, ha." Frank said as he took the paper from Joe. "After breaking into numerous security vaults, I've discovered that there's two ways that baby can be mine."

"Yeah?" Joe asked skeptically. "You had to…mm-hm… with a girl or?"

"In-vitro fertilization"

"What?" Joe shook his head. "Can you repeat that in English?"

"It means they took my sperm and her egg, mix it in a tube and put it into her body to grow. It's a fairly new discovery."

"Weird."

"yeah." Frank sighed as he leaned back. "So, Gwinn wasn't lying about the baby being mine."

"Wow." Joe stared at Frank in shock.

"Apparently her father is researching and experimenting with this…" Frank waved his hand in the air. "and decided to try it on our family."

"That means that…" Joe looked at the floor and back at Frank. "When you were kidnapped…"

"Yep."

"That's crazy."

"So I guess we tell everyone when they come down." Frank stared out the window.

"Are you ok?"

"Not really." Frank looked at his brother and gave him a sad smile. "I guess you get to beat me to a pulp now."

"I…um…" Joe shook his head. "Not this time."

"Thanks." Frank sighed.

"What are we going to do with Gwinn?"

"I don't know yet." Frank went and laid on the couch. "I'll see you later." He said as sleep quickly claimed him. Joe stayed in the living room an stared at his brother.

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you." Joe whispered. He then left the room and went to the kitchen. Two hour later, Laura came into the kitchen and jumped when she saw Joe sitting at the table.

"What are you doing up?" Laura gasped.

"I couldn't sleep." Joe rubbed his neck.

"Is everything alright?".

"No." Joe whispered. "But I'll let Frank explain it."

"Ok." Laura walked over to the stove and pulled out two skillets and a pan.

"Can I help?"

"Sure." Laura smiled. "You can start the grits."

Bahahaha

"Where's Frank?" Fenton asked as they sat at the table thirty minutes later.

"Still researching." Joe said. "He said he isn't hungry."

"Ok." Fenton sighed. After breakfast, everyone helped clean up then they went to the living. Laura, holding Ty, sat on the love seat beside Fenton. Joe and Nancy sat on the couch with Gwinn between them.

"So what did you discover?" Fenton asked Frank. Frank stood from the computer and sent Nancy a sad smile.

"A lot." Frank said as he took a deep breath. He looked at Ty in his mothers lap. "It would appear that Ty is mine, but…"

"I thought you told me that…" Fenton began.

"I didn't." Frank watched as Gwinn's face turned white. "I discovered that Sawyer Paine is one of the leaders in researching in-vitro fertilization. "

"En-what?" Laura asked.

"It's when they…"

"Stop." Gwinn cried as she put her head in her hands. Everyone looked at her shocked.

"So it's true?" Frank pressed.

"It is. My father has a PhD in medicine." Gwinn said as she wiped her tears. "It was my father's plan to… he mixed some kind of hormone or something… I don't remember what he had said. He wasn't sure if it would work or not"

"So he used his own daughter to see if it worked."

"Yes. He mixed your sperm with one of his inventions and hoped it would fertilize." She shrugged. "it did."

"Everyone else that he had tried it on died." Frank also pointed out. "What was different about you?"

"My father tried something different he was sure would work."

"What if it hadn't?"

"It doesn't matter." Gwinn sighed.

"Where is your father now?" Fenton asked. Things were slowly sinking in.

"Here in Bayport." Gwinn whispered

"Where?"

"I'm not really sure."

"Have you talked to him?"

"Yes." Gwinn blew her nose on a tissue that Nancy handed her.

"Will you help us bring him in if we can promise you our protection?"

"you would do that?" Gwinn looked at Fenton. "For me?"

"We will." Fenton smiled at the girl.

"I'll help you." Gwinn said with a smile. "I'm supposed to meet him by Brewer's Lake tomorrow at five."

"Ok." Fenton got up and called Con on the phone. Joe quietly slipped out of the room.

"Thank you." Frank said as he headed out the door.

"please, forgive me?" Gwinn pleaded. Laura moved over to sit beside Gwinn and put an arm around her.

"I do." Frank nodded his head and left.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed on this story. You guys are the greatest. I hope you like this chapter. We're almost done. :)**

* * *

The next day found Gwinn, the Hardys, Nancy Drew, and six undercover cops at Brewer's Lake. They had moved Laura to a hotel room where she stayed to keep an eye on Ty. They had wired Gwinn so they could hear everything that was going on while they sat in their hiding places.

"I hope this works." Joe whispered to Frank.

"No more than I do." Frank answered back. He glanced at his watch. "He should be here anytime."

"There." Joe whispered pointing to a man about six foot seven, carrying a bag, heading toward Gwinn.

"Hi, Daddy." Gwinn said as she hugged her father.

"How is my little girl?"

"I've been better."

"I'm sure." Her father laughed. "How is our little experiment? No side effects?"

"No. He's growing like a weed."

"It's hard to believe he's two weeks old."

"You're telling me." Gwinn laughed.

"Youngsters grow up so fast." Sawyer Paine said sadly as he ran a hand down his daughter's cheek.

"I'll always be you little girl." Gwinn whispered.

"I know." They sat down on a bench. "I brought your favorite." Sawyer said as he pulled out a milkshake

"Mint-Strawberry chocolate chip!" Gwinn exclaimed as she clapped her hands. She then threw he arms around Sawyer's neck and kissed his cheek. "You're the best."

"I know." He said with a knowing smile. "Well, I had better let you go so the Hardys don't get suspicious."

"Ok. "Gwinn said as she took a sip of the milkshake. "When will I see you again?"

"I'll contact you."

"Bye, Daddy." Gwinn waved as he walked off. "I love you!" Sawyer waved then continued walking. Fifteen minutes later, everyone come out from their hiding places.

"I did as you said." Gwinn said with a smile. "I placed the tracker under the collar off his shirt."

"Great." Fenton pulled out the handheld tracker screen and started it up.

"You did real good." Con said. He and the rest of the cops got into their cars and drove off.

"Let's get home." Joe said. "I'm hungry." Everyone laughed as they headed toward their cars.

Bahahaha

"When do we head out?" Joe asked from his position on the couch. They had been home for three hours and he was getting restless.

"Patience, little brother, is still a virtue." Frank laughed.

"Easy for you to say."

"Trust me. I'm as impatient, if not more so, as you."

"You sure hide it well."

"I know." Frank looked at the handheld tracker screen and watched as the red dot stopped moving. He looked at Joe and smiled.

"Finally." Joe jumped from the couch.

"Dad?" Frank called up the stairs. Fenton appeared at the top. "He has finally stopped and we're heading out."

"Ok." Fenton nodded. "Be careful. No one has ever been able to catch him."

"Yes!" Joe said. He grabbed the van keys and headed out the door.

"We'll see you when we get done." Frank said with a wave.

"ok."

Bahahaha

"An old abandoned warehouse." Joe said sarcastically. "Why is it always an abandoned warehouse? When will it be a nice, large mansion that has been lived in for years, or a nice luxury hotel with an all you can eat buffet?"

"I don't know." Frank laughed. They joined Con as he explained to the other cops and agents what they were doing. They had each split into ten teams with six people each.

"We want him alive at all costs." Con finished. He turned to the Hardy boys. "Here are your walkies and you do have you guns, right?" When both boys nodded, he motioned to a group of cops. "You guy will go with team three." He said as he motioned to the team.

"Ok." Frank said as they join their group.

"The plan is for us to go through the front." Deputy Hans said. He shot a look at Frank. "Follow my lead. I'm in charge of this group."

"Fine." Frank said with a shrug.

"I'm glad we have an understanding." He then turned to the rest of the group. "Let's move out." They headed toward the front door. Frank and Joe stayed near the back of the group.

"Who put cranky beans in his coffee?" Joe asked.

"I don't know." Frank replied. When they got to the front door, Hans counted quietly then kicked down the door. They rushed into a large open area with room lining the wall. They heard the other groups as well.

"Get into groups and spread out." Hans called. He pointed at Frank. "You're with me." Frank and Joe shared a quick glance and shrugged

"ok." Frank said as he followed the deputy. They all headed in a different direction. An hour later they all met in the middle of the open area.

"Nothing?" Frank asked incredibly.

"Nothing." Con said. Frank pulled out the handheld tracker screen and looked at the red dot surrounded by blue. Con took it and began to study it. He then headed outside and made a phone call.

"What was that?" Hans demanded.

"My business and none of yours." Frank shot back. Hans threw a hard right hook that caught Frank off guard. He landed on the floor but he quickly stood back up, wiped the blood from his lip and threw his own fists. Hans and Frank fought hard for about ten minutes, each getting enough pain to keep them fighting, but unable to inflict final blow.

""Men!" Con shouted. Neither one acknowledged him. Con looked around him to see the others watching in shock. Joe watched silently ready to jump in if his brother needed him. Con pulled his pistol from his holster and aimed it at the ceiling. He fired two shots. Everyone hit the ground. He walked over to Hans and Frank. "I don't know what is going on here, but I demand it stop."

"Sorry." Frank said as he took a tissue Joe handed him and wiped at the blood running into his left eye. Con looked at Hans who just huffed, pulled out a handkerchief and walked off.

"What was that even about?" Con asked.

"I don't know." Frank shrugged. "but he threw the first punch."

"I'll talk to him later." Con walked over to where he had sat the tracker screen. "I called your dad and told him where we were and asked accurate is this thing."

"I upgraded that thing right before we planted the tracker." Frank said. "It should be good within at least fifty feet."

"That good?" Con said as he released a low whistle.

"Dad only buys the best." Joe said proudly.

"So where is our man then?" Frank looked at the tracker. The red dot was slowly moving away from all the blue dots.

"Underground." Frank whispered.

"What?" Con asked, puzzled.

"There's another entrance?" Joe asked. "A secret door?"

"Probably." Frank smiled at Joe. "All we need to do is figure out where that door is."

"Right on, Brother." Joe said as he headed toward the wall. Frank turned to the other cops.

"We need you nine to help Joe search the wall for secret door." Frank pointed out. "You twenty, begin searching those rooms again. Twenty of you go search the rooms upstairs. Twenty of you go outside and see if you can find anything. Get into groups of two and search everything over with a fine tooth comb. The rest of you will help me search the floor for any hidden doors."

"Your not the commander here." Hans said haughtily. "We don't have to do anything you tell us to do." Some others around him agreed.

"Let me put it this way." Con growled, looking over each person there. "If you don't help, you will be suspended, without pay, for three weeks. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir." The group said as they quickly began to search.

"Also, the first group that finds it will be given a two week paid vacation to where ever they want." Con shouted.

An hour later they heard a shout from one of the rooms.

"I think we may have found something." Everyone headed toward the room. The officer pointed to a closet that had had the panels removed from the wall. They looked to see stairs heading down.

"Let's go." Con said. "Be ready for anything." They quietly made their way down the stairs. It smelled old and musty and they could hear the scurry of little critters. When they got to the bottom of the stairs they saw three tunnels heading in different directions.

"Ok." Con looked down each tunnel. "Let's split up. If you find something fire off one shot. If you find Paine, fire off two shots, but don't kill him."

"What if he become aggressive or he is armed?" a officer asked

"wound him."

"Yes sir." They groups quickly formed and headed out. The Hardy boys and their group headed down the tunnel toward the right.

"I love this guys decorator." Joe said sarcastically as he looked around. Everyone chuckled.

"I think it's the same one you use." Frank riddled.

"Haha." Joe playfully punched his brother. As Frank groaned Joe remembering that Frank was probably sore. "Sorry."

"No prob." They walked in silence. Ten minutes later they heard a gun fire.

"Someone found something." Con commented as he looked behind them..

"So did I." a gruff voice said. "Turn the flashlights off. Now." The group quickly complied.

"What do you want, Paine?" Frank asked.

"I want my freedom. And I am going to get it." Joe felt a large hand close around his arm and yank him off his feet. He struggled against the strong arm but found it futile.

"Frank?" Joe called.

"Shut up."

"Don't hurt my brother." Frank demanded.

"They all say the same thing." Paine said.

"What?"

"I'm going to kill you and your brother, then I am gone." Paine cocked the gun and held it to Joe's head. "It's going to look like Frank here killed everyone here then committed suicide because her heard the others coming."

"This won't work." Frank said as he knelt on the floor. He felt around on the floor till he found his brother's small pistol flashlight and grinned. He connected it to his pistol.

"You have no idea what I am capable of." Paine boasted.

"I have a pretty good idea." Frank raised his pistol. "however, on the count of three you are going to release my brother."

"I'll release him and let you hear his body hit the ground when he's dead."

"One…"

"What do you think you can do in the dark. I know this place like the back of my hand."

"Two…"

"Can I say one last word?" Joe asked sadly.

"sure."

"He's right, Frank. There is no where left for us to go. He's too strong. You know dad was right, we were way over our heads."

"I'm glad you have accepted your fate." Paine laughed. "Anything you want to say Frank?"

"Three." In a matter of second, Frank flipped on the flashlight and fired. Paine fell backwards, throwing Joe. The gun that was in Paine's hand fired. "Joe!" Frank rushed to his brother.

"I'm fine." Joe groaned. Paine's bullet had glazed Joe's head. They heard the other cops come running down the hall.

"We heard the shots."

"Help us get Paine and Joe upstairs." Con said. They slowly made their way back upstairs. They laid Paine on the floor.

"I'm glad you took the chance." Joe sighed. They were wrapping a bandage around his head to stop the blood flow till the ambulance got there

"Thanks for the hints." Frank sat beside his brother.

"I'm glad we worked out that system." Joe laughed. He and Frank sat in silence as Con came walking over.

"I hate to tell you this, but he just died." Con motioned to Paine.

"You mean…" Frank stood, shocked. "I…"

"I'm sorry, Frank."

"It wasn't your fault." Joe said. "If you hadn't taken that shot we would all be dead right now."

"I know." Frank said.

"Your bullet went straight into his heart."

"How did I manage that?"

"He was left handed." Joe said.

"right." Con explained. "I'm not sure how you two work, even after all these years of working with you, but you knew you had to shoot his left side."

"And I just happened to hit his heart."

"Exactly." Con patted Frank's back. "I honestly don't think I would have taken the chance you two did."

"It was nothing."

"What if I had misunderstood the code." Frank looked at Joe. "You'd be dead."

"If you hadn't taken the chance I would be dead." Joe shrugged. "It's a two way street."

"I guess."

"We did awesome." Joe stood and lost his balance.

"Maybe you should sit down."

"No." Joe grabbed Frank's arm. "We stick together, no matter what." They heard the sirens of the ambulances. The paramedics rushed in with two stretchers. They loaded Paine on one.

"I don't need to go to the hospital." Joe complained as two male paramedic pulled a stretcher over.

"Joe." Frank growled. "Must we always go through this when you get hurt."

"Yes." He turned to the paramedics. "I'm fine." The two paramedics grinned and backed up.

"Don't make me tell mom that you got shot and wouldn't go to the hospital."

"Frank!" Joe whined.

"Go." Frank pointed to the stretcher. "I'll meet you there."

"but…" Joe grumbled as he sat on the stretcher. A pretty girl with platinum blonde hair walked up beside him.

"Are you the other patient?" she asked.

"Um…" Joe looked at Frank.

"If you are, you're riding in my truck."

"Yeah. I'm the other patient" Joe said as he laid on the stretcher.

"And what happened to you., handsome?" she asked sweetly.

"a bullet konked me on the head." Joe said painfully.

"Poor thing." She strapped the straps across Joe. "We'll get you to the hospital and patched up real nice."

"Thank you." Joe said with a smile and a wink. While the other paramedics rolled Joe out Frank stopped the girl.

"Is he going to be ok?"

"he should be fine." She held out her hand. "Sam."

"Frank." He shook her hand and smiled. "Thanks for getting my brother to cooperate"

"That's why they sent my rig." She laughed. "We heard the call that you had been investigating an old warehouse and a Hardy had been shot. They assumed it was Joe and figured he would be more cooperative with a pretty female."

"Joe does have a history with both injuries and women." Fran laughed.

"Well, I'd better go." She smiled. "See you around." She ran and jumped into the ambulance. Then it headed down the road. Frank walked over to the van and crawled in. He called the house, but got no answer. He left a message on the answering machine.

"Hi, Dad. Wanted to let you know, Paine is dead and Joe is in the hospital. They don't thing its serious. Talk to you later." He hung up, started the van and headed toward the hospital.


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed on my story. Here's the next chapter. The story is almost finished.**

* * *

He went to the ER waiting room and sat.

"Frank Hardy." The receptionist said as she walked over to him.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"you are to go to 4 river room two"

"I thought Joe wasn't serious." Frank said as aggravation colored his voice.

"Your brother is still getting checked over by a doctor. Your parents are up there with a patient."

"Ok. Thanks." Frank said as he headed to the elevator. When he reached the floor and headed down a hall. He knocked on the door two.

"Come in." Fenton called. Frank opened the door to see his father and mother sitting in chairs around the room, while Ty was asleep in the baby carrier.

"What happened?" Frank asked. "Where's Gwinn?"

"She…" Fenton looked at the roof. "She died."

"What?"

"About five minutes ago."

"How?"

"Their doing an autopsy right now. They think she was poisoned. But we won't know for sure for about a week."

"Oh.' Frank sat in an empty chair.

"Is Joe alright?" His mother asked.

"He's getting his head patched up." Frank said with a smile. "A bullet glazed his head." His mother gasped.

"What about Paine?" Fenton asked anxiously.

"Dead." Frank replied flatly

"How?." Fenton watched as the anguish flashed through Frank's eyes.

"I'm going for a walk. I'll be back later." Frank said as he practically ran from the room. He found himself outside in the little garden they had there. He paces back and forth.

"Why?" He hollered. "Why can't things go right!" He sat on a bench and buried his head in his arms and began to sob. He wasn't sure how long he was there before he felt a comforting arm go around him. He leaned into the person and cried. After a couple minutes he look into his father's face. "I'm sorry." Frank said as he wiped at his face.

"There's nothing to be sorry for. Tears are a natural part of a life."

"I killed Paine." Frank whispered.

"You didn't have a choice." Fenton rubbed Frank's back. "Joe told me everything. You, Joe and a whole slew of people would be dead right now if you hadn't."

"I know."

"It's always hard when you have to kill someone to protect others. It never gets easier, but it will change you."

"Just like being a father will." Frank sent his dad a sad smile. "I want us to keep Ty."

"Why?" Fenton asked shocked.

"We're the only family he has now."

"He could go to the children's home and be put into foster care. Nobody would blame you."

"What kind of life is that for a kid? Being passed from one family to the next. Never knowing if that family will want to adopt you or when you will have to pack again. Knowing that your real family didn't want you for one reason or another." Frank ended his tirade with a huff.

"When did you become so smart?" Fenton laughed.

"I guess a lot of things become clear in the event of a crisis." Frank stood and stretched. "Ready to go back and tell mom that she is a permanent Grandma?"

"That will tickle her pink." Fenton said as he and Frank made their way back to Gwinn's room. They opened the door to see Joe sitting beside his mother.

"How's the head?" Frank asked.

"It could have been worse." Joe shrugged. "Can we leave now?"

"I guess so." Fenton said as he looked at Frank.

"Let's go home." Frank said as went over and picked up the baby carrier and followed his mom out the door. They all crawled into the van since the older Hardys had ridden in the ambulance. They rode in silence for a few minutes.

"Do we need to stop and get some baby formula or something?" Frank asked from the driver seat.

"I think we have all we need at the house." Laura replied. "We really need to decide what we're doing with him."

"He's staying with us." Frank said. Joe's mouth fell open.

"Really?" Joe gasped. "I'm going to be Uncle Joe?"

"He has everything he need right here." Frank shrugged.

"We can paint the guest room a pale blue…" Laura said as she began to make plans for the baby room with Joe throwing in some suggestions. They talked all the way home.


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you to everyone who has read the past chapters. Here's the last chapter. I'll think about making this a series.**

* * *

The next night Frank woke up to hear Ty crying from the other room. He quietly walked into the nursery to see his mother rocking Ty in her arms and cooing.

"I'm sorry if he woke you." Laura said, distress coloring her voice. "I can't get him to stop."

"Here. Let me try." Frank reached for the baby and began to walk and talk to him. The baby stopped crying and snuggled against him, it's wide brown eyes staring at him.

"He likes you." Laura said quietly as she headed for the door. "I'll go get a bottle for him." Frank nodded as he sat in the rocker.

"You are a handsome tyke. You know that?" Frank smiled as the baby smiled at him. "You really do look like your daddy."

"Is this one of your secret calm down things? Talking to babies?" Frank looked up to see Joe leaning on the door jam.

"No. This is something new I picked up." Frank said. Joe came and sat on the floor beside Frank. Laura brought the bottle to Frank adn showed him how to hold the bottle and then told him how to burp the baby.

"Ok. Good night, mom." Frank said. Laura leaned down and kissed his and Joe's head.

"Good night." She left the room and went to bed. Frank and Joe sat in silence listening to the baby slurp it's bottle.

"Sound like you when you're eating." Frank laughed. He put the baby on his shoulder and patted it's back.

"I don't know. I think… " Joe said. The baby then let out a nice burp. Joe laughed. "Ok. Yeah he does." Frank cradled the baby back into his arms and rocked till the baby slowly drifted to sleep. He then carefully place Ty in the crib and he and Joe slipped out of the room.

"You'll make a good dad." Joe said with a smile.

"Thanks." Frank whispered back. "We'd better get to bed."

"Good night, Bro."

"Night, kid." Frank said as he went into his room and crawled into his bed and quickly fell asleep.

A week later, Joe came home from hanging out with the Chet and Tony. He walked past the living room and paused when he saw Frank lying on the couch, asleep, with Ty tucked in his arm. Joe smiled and continued to the kitchen. He had just pulled out a soda when a gentle knock came on the door. He quickly made his way to the door and opened it. Nancy stood looking at the floor.

"Nancy?" Joe asked. Her head shot up.

"I… um… I…" She stammered.

"Are you here to see Frank?"

"Yes." She whispered.

"Well, it's about time." Joe said exasperatedly. "You have no idea how much he misses you."

"Really?" Hope filled Nancy's face.

"I know what he promised." Joe said pointedly. "But did you really have to wait this long to come to you senses?"

"I know." Nancy said in defeat. "I've wanted to talk to him all week, but…"

"You still needed to sort things out." Joe finished.

"Something like that." Nancy shrugged.

"It is different seeing Frank with Ty, but he is so good with him." Joe smiled. "If you want to see them, they're in the living room." Nancy nodded her head and went to the living room.

"Finally!" Joe huffed and quietly followed Nancy. Nancy paused in the living room door and smiled at the picture that was there. She then walked over and knelt beside the couch. She reached out to brushed at lock of wayward hair that had fallen over Frank's forehead. He opened his eyes and looked at her.

"'Nancy?" He asked groggily.

"Hi." She whispered.

"What're you doing here?" he asked as he carefully sat up as to not wake Ty.

"I came to see you and tell you I'm sorry for everything."

"I already told you it was all forgiven."

"I know, but…" Nancy took a deep breath. "I love you more than you know."

"I love you too." Frank ran a hand down Nancy's cheek. He leaned in and gently kissed her. When they parted Nancy looked at Ty still asleep beside Frank.

"He really is precious."

"I know." Frank looked at the sleeping child and smiled.

"Do you think…" Nancy paused. She looked at Frank. A large grin took over Frank's face.

"Will you marry me?"

"absolutely!" Nancy laughed. Frank pulled her into his lap and passionately kissed her.

"Ya-hoo!" Joe shouted. Frank watched as his brother ran upstairs. "Finally! Yes! Yes! Yes!" They could hear him shouting from his room.

"Well I guess he agrees." Nancy laughed.

"I would say so." Frank said before he kissed her again.

 **THE END!**


End file.
